Notts Seconds Chase Down Leicestershire

Nottinghamshire II 352 & 382/5 v Leicestershire II 511/7 dec & 222/7 dec (Second XI Championship) 02.05.22-05.05.22

*four day match Nottinghamshire win by five wickets

In an amazing run chase, the Nottinghamshire second team beat their close neighbours Leicestershire by five wickets after chasing a daunting target of 382 on the final day of the latest championship game.

Left-hander Sol Budinger produced a blistering innings of 151 off 143 balls and Zimbabwean wicket-keeper Dane Schadendorf stroked his second hundred of the game, as the home team comfortably reached the target with 11.5 overs to spare.

The visitors had won the toss on the opening day and decided to bat first. The opening pair put on 77 for the first wicket before Nick Welch was dismissed caught at slip. Fellow opener Rishi Patel proceeded to a steady 50 off 101 balls, and in partnership with Rehan Ahmed, the pair put on exactly 100 for the second wicket before the latter was dismissed for 45. Patel reached his century with his 12th four down the leg-side, as Leicestershire took tea at 185-2.

After nearly five hours of batting, Patel was finally dismissed for a fine 121, caught out in the deep off the bowling off Matt Carter. His innings contained 15 fours. Notts took another wicket soon after, but Leicestershire built on the total further, and by the close they were on a relatively safe 294 for 4. Tom Scriven (62), and Scott Steel (37) were the not out batsmen.

The next day, the pair extended their partnership to 125, as Steel reached a quick 50 off only 63 balls. Scriven was the next batsman to be dismissed, caught for a well-made 78 with eight fours and one six. The seventh 50 of the innings came in 45 minutes as Leicestershire put up 350 on the board. Notts then came back with two quick wickets as the visitors faltered slightly to 407-7.

Steel however attacked with great gusto as he made his way to a century off 112 balls, and with Roman Walker supporting with a cameo 38 not out (3 fours and 3 sixes), he rocketed to an unbeaten 167 off 176 balls when the declaration came. His hits included 19 fours and five sixes. Leicestershire had accumulated a daunting total of 511-7, and the stand between Steel and Walker had realised 104 runs in less than an hour. Carter was the pick of the Notts bowlers with 3 for 94 in 31 overs.

Budinger began the Nottinghamshire innings with three fours off three balls in the sixth over, and then two sixes in an over, both off the opening pace bowler Walker. The 50 was soon up in the 10th over with Budinger having 41 of those in 31 balls. He reached his personal 50 off 42 balls, before being caught next ball off the spinner Rehan Ahmed. Budinger had smashed seven fours and two sixes and 98 had been put on for the opening wicket. The 100 arrived in the 19th over, before Matthew Montgomery was the next batsman dismissed for 45. Schadendorf then came in and saw Notts safely to 192-3 by the close of play with an unbeaten 57 not out. He had stroked ten fours in reaching his fifty.

The third day saw Notts inching towards the visitors total with Zak Chappell getting a fifty off 75 balls (seven fours and one six), and his stand with Schadendorf had accrued 98 runs before Chappell was bowled by off-spinner Nathan Bowley for 64, with the total on 280. Ben Martindale (0), and Carter (6) were then dismissed cheaply by Ahmed, as Schadendorf completed his hundred, laden with 17 fours. He was however dismissed next ball, as Ahmed picked up his third wicket in as many overs. Sammy King managed to add a fighting 31 off 47 balls, as the last three wickets added over 50 runs, but the Nottinghamshire total of 352 was 159 short of the visitor’s effort. Rehan Ahmed had figures of 5-120, and Bowley took 3-60 in 20 overs. Leicestershire then strolled to 98-0 by the close, for an overall lead of 257. Sam Wood (54 not out with 7 fours and one six), and Welch (39no), had put their team in an almost impregnable position.

The final day saw Welch dismissed for 60 off 78 balls, after a 132-run opening stand, and Wood (73 off 99), followed eight runs later. Rehan Ahmed then smote 40 runs off 18 balls (1 four & 4 sixes), before becoming Carter’s fifth victim. More quick runs then enabled Leicestershire to declare after just 39.1 overs of batting on 222-7, to set Nottinghamshire a nigh impossible 382 runs to win. Carter did well in picking up 5-66 in 10 overs, and limiting the damage.

It was Budinger again who got the innings off to a great start with 50 off 64 balls, as the home side reached 100 in over number 25. Ben Martindale fell first leg-before to Bowley with the total on 106. First innings centurion Schadendorf then joined Budinger and the two kept up the fast tempo. The 50 stand came off 45 balls, and the opener completed his century off 107 balls. The fourth 50 took only seven overs as the 200 came up, and Schadendorf celebrated his half-century by slamming ten fours. Another seven overs and the 250 was reached, and the 150 partnership was completed off just 129 balls. With 14 fours and six sixes, Budinger was able to reach a stunning 150 off 140 balls. However, three balls later, he was caught in the deep with 287 on the board. The outstanding pair had put on 181 in less than 25 overs. At 323-2, the required rate was 59 runs needed in a minimum of 20 overs, as the clock ticked towards 5pm. There was no let up as Notts sauntered towards the winning mark, with Schadendorf finally dismissed for 133 off 122 balls (22 fours & 3 sixes), and Calvin Harrison (19 off 25), and King (16no off 17), making useful contributions.

The winning runs came when King picked up three runs off Ahmed, after having smashed a four and a six off consecutive balls. The target of 382 had been reached in the 67th over, and there were 48 fours and 11 sixes in the onslaught. The victory had come with still over 11 overs remaining.

This was Nottinghamshire’s second win of the season in three outings. They had defeated Lancashire in the opening match of the season, with fast bowler Toby Pettman (seven wickets), and leg-spinner Calvin Harrison (eight wickets), taking the honours. They then lost their second game to Somerset despite Pettman (7), and Harrison (6), again starring with the ball. The club had come third in the championship in 2021.